Fosters' £1bn Whiteleys mall plans rejigged

Westminster City Council has approved changes to redevelopment plans for the Grade II-listed Whiteleys shopping centre in west London.

The £1bn Foster + Partners-designed scheme will involve demolishing the 1980s building behind the historic 1911 Queensway façade and in its place building a residential led, mixed-use development built.

The redevelopment is a joint venture between Meyer Bergman-advised investment fund and Warrior Group. The project will see more than 500,000 sq ft of homes retail and leisure facilities built.

Modifications were imposed by the council’s planning committee last year when the scheme was originally granted approval and the changes announced address these concerns.

Changes to the plans include reducing the height of the scheme behind the Queensway façade by 1.5m. The height of the two rear ‘towers’ will be reduced by one floor and the new top storey remodelled to form a recessed roof.

The number of one and two bedroom flats has also increased from 44 to 78 while the number of four bedroom homes will be reduced from 37 to seven. Overall this will mean an increase in the number of residential units from 103 units to 129.

Westminster City Council senior chair of planning, Cllr Richard Beddoe, said: “The applicant submitted a number of amendments to building work agreed last year.

“These included reducing the height of the rear two towers. We believe the changes now strike the correct balance between the size of the building and benefits to local people.”